Safety system for fluid pumping engines



May 23, 1961 M. CRANDALL SAFETY SYSTEM FOR FLUID PUMPING ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1958 any FIG. 2

R. 4 INVENTO I MORRIS CRANDALL FIG. 3

y 23, 1961 M. CRANDALL 2,985,162

SAFETY SYSTEM FOR FLUID PUMPING ENGINES Filed Jan. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I II EVIII I IIIIII)ffl lw wl AlIlr- FIG. 5

INVENTOR.

MORRIS CRANDALL BY ATT Y.

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United States Patent SAFETY SYSTEM FOR FLUID PUMPING ENGINES Morris Crandall, 8177 Stratford Ave., University City, Mo.

Filed Jan. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 709,983 I 7 Claims. (Cl. 123193) This invention relates, in general, to certain new and useful improvements in fluid pumping systems and, more particularly, to a safety control for automatically shutting down a fluid pumping system in the event of various emergencies such as line-breakage, fire explosions and the like.

In transferring fluids such as oil, for example, from a barge or tanker into shore-side storage tanks it is usual practice to employ pumps driven either by a diesel engine or gasoline engine whereby to force the fluid through suitable hoses, or conduits. Ordinarily such pumps and the diesel or gasoline engines to drive them. are located on the barge or tanker and cannot always be quickly reached in case of emergency, since it is not convenient or even feasible to have an employee stationed at the engine controls at all times. In fact, the crew-members or other employees have many duties to perform during pumping operations. Thus if the barge should break away from its moorings or for some reason suddenly shift position the pumping lines may part, spewing oil into the water or over the deck. Under such circumstances it is entirely possible that the crew-members may be on shore and thus unable to shut down the pumping engine. It will, of course, be apparent that many other emergencies may occur in which it would be highly desirable to shut :down the pumping engine quickly.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a safety control system for fluid pumping engines which will automatically and immediately shut down the engine in event of such emergencies as ruptures of the pumping lines, and the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a safety control system of the type stated which is absolute in operation and cannot fail or become inoperative during use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a safety control system which is relatively inexpensive It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a safety control system which will not only operate automatically in case of various emergencies, but

will also afiord a simple inexpensive means of manual control whereby the pumping engine can be shut down ;at will from any number of desirable or selected control- It is likewise an object of the present invention to provide a safety control device for use in the system of the .type stated.

With the above and other objects in view, my, invention resides in the novel features of form, construction,

arrangement, and combination of parts presently described embodying a safety control constructed in accordance with the present invention;

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Figure 2 is a top plan view of a safety control device constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the safety control device;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 55 of Figure 2;

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 6-6 and "7--7, respectively, of Fig. 5; and

Figure 8 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the electrical connections and air-pressure lines forming safety control system of the present invention.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a sefety control device comprising a pressure-tank 1 of any suitable or convenient shape such as the box-like rectilinear shape shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The pressure-tank 1 is preferably formed of heavy-gauge sheet metal or any other structurally strong material capable of sustaining and holding pressures of the order of 50 to p.s.i. Actually, the safety control system of the present invention does not ordinarily require pressures in excess of 15-25 p.s.i., but it is considered prudent to construct the tank 1 with an adequate safety factor.

Mounted in the top wall 2 of the pressure-tank 1 by means of a concentric mounting ring 3 is an hand operated air pump 4 including a cylinder 5 provided at its upper end with a packing collar 6 and an end cap 7, the latterbeing centrally apertured for slidably receiving a piston rod 8 which extends therethrough and into the cylinder 5. At its upper, or external, end the piston rod 8 is provided with a handle 9 and at its lower, or internal, end is provided with a piston 10 having a pair of axially spaced O-rings 11, 12. Threaded or otherwise suitably mounted in the bottom wall of the cylinder 5 is a double ball check valve 13 having an intake nipple 14 which extends through the side wall of the pressure-tank 1 and communicates with the outside atmosphere. Similarly, the check valve 13 is provided with a discharge nipple '15 which is connected by a conduit 16 to a stop valve 17 having a valve seat 18 for receiving a valve plug 19 which is operatively mounted on the end of threaded valve stem 20, the latter extending upwardly through a suitable packing gland 21 and being provided on its external end 22 with a handle 23. The stop valve 17 is also provided with an open discharge nipple 24 which communicates directly to the interior of the pressure-tank 1.

p The check valve 13, as may be seen by reference to Figure 5, is provided with two spring biased balls 25, 26, respectively, arranged to sit against ball-sets 27, 28, respectively. Thus when the piston 10 is drawn upwardly, the ball 26 will seat and the ball 25 will open allowing air to be drawn into the cylinder 5 from the outside atmosphere. When the piston rod 8 is pushed downwardly .again the ball 25 will seat'and the ball 26 will open allowing air to be forced under. pressure into the interior of the pressure-tank-l through the stop valve 17 which, of course, is in the open position shown in Figure 4, for purposes presently more fully appearing.

; Operative1y mounted in and extending through the top wall 2 of the pressure-tank 1 is a straight nipple 29 which 'is' adapted to communicate at its inner end with the interior of the pressure-tank. On its exterior end the nipple29 is adapted for receiving an air line or hose H, which is relatively light in weight and constructed prefer- ,ably of thermoplastic material or material which will become weakened or burn when exposed to flames or the elevated temperaturesassociated with a fire. Actually, the hose H should be designed for the same pressure limits as the pressure-tank 1 and, therefore, need not have particularly high tensile strength, as will presently be more fully discussed.

Also mounted in the top wall 2 of the pressure-tank 1 is a conventional pressure gauge 30, the interior portion of which is exposed to the pressure within the pressuretank 1. Similarly mounted in the top wall 2 of the pressure-tank 1 are two pressure-sensitive series switches 31, 32, having bellows-type pressure sensitive elements 33, 34, respectively, therein. Similarly mounted in the top wall 2 is a conventional electrical binding post 35, and a tubular nipple 36 which is adapted for connection to a flexible oil line L. Finally, the top wall 2 of the pressure tank 1 is provided with two additional electrical binding posts 38, I

39, and a pilot light 40 which is in series with a test switch 41.

The pressure-sensitive switch 31v is a substantially conventional component, but for purposes of a clear understanding of the present invention, it may be desirable to point out that this switch 31 consists of a hollow housing 42 having fiat parallel top and bottom walls 43, 44, and a side wall 45. Mounted inand extending through the side wall 45 are two spaced binding posts 46, 47. Rigidly secured upon the internal face of the top wall 4-3 is a dielectric base plate 48 which mechanically supports a stationary contact element 49. Suitably secured to the side wall 45 and extending across the interior of the housing 42 is a resilient switch blade 50 provided at its end with a contact element 51 adapted for circuit-making contact with the element 49.

Mounted in the bottom wall 44 of the housing 42 is an annular packing gland 52. Slidably suported in and extending through the packing gland 52 is an actuator rod 53 which, at its upper end, bears operatively against the switch blade 50. At its lower end the actuator rod 53 is soldered, welded, or otherwise rigidly secured to bottom disc 54 which is, in turn, welded or otherwise hermetically sealed to the bottom end of the bellows type pressuresensitive element 33, the latter being sealed at its upper' end to the underface of the bottom wall 44 of the housing 42. interposed between the interior face of the disc 54 and the bottom wall 44 is a light compression spring 55 adapted to bias the bellows and actuator rod down away from the housing 42 so that the contact elements 49 and 51 will normally rest in circuit-closed position. It will, of course, be understood that the contact elements 49, 51 are respectively connected to the binding posts 46, 47.

Similarly, the pressure-sensitive switch 32 is also a substantially conventional component but for purposes of a clear understanding of the present invention it may be desirable to point out that the switch 32 consists of an elongated tank-like shell 56, integrally including a bottom wall 57, a top wall 58, and side walls 59, 60, which is suitably mounted on the underside of the top wall 2 and receives the nipple 36 having an interior tubular end 61. The shell 56 is in communication with the interior thereof so that the oil pressure within the shell 56 will always be equal to the oil pressure in the flexible oil line L. Mounted on the bottom wall 57 of the shell 56 is a switch housing 62 having fiat parallel top and bottom walls 63, 64, and a side wall 65. Mounted in and extending through the side wall 65 are two spaced binding posts 66, 67. Rigidly secured upon the internal face of the top wall 63 is a dielectric baseplate 68 which mechanically supports a stationary contact element 69. Suitably secured to the side wall 65 and extending across the interior of the housing 62 is a resilient switch blade 70 provided at its end with a contact element 7-1 adapted for circuit-making cont act with the element 69.

Mounted in the top wall 63 of the housing 62 is an annular packing gland 72. Slidably supported in and extending through the packing gland 72 is an actuator rod 73 which, at its upper end, bears operatively against the switch blade 70. At its upper end the actuator rod 63 is soldered, welded, or otherwise rigidly secured to top disc 4 t '74 which is, in turn, welded or otherwise hermetically sealed to the top end of the bellows type pressure-sensitive element 34, the latter being sealed at its lower end to the upperface of the top wall 63 of the housing 62. Interposed between the interior face of the disc 74 andthe bottom wall 64 is a light compression spring 75 adapted to bias the bellows and actuator rod down away from the housing 62 so that the. contact elements 69 and 71 will normally rest in circuit-open position. It will, of course,

be understood that the contact elements 69, 71, are respectively connected to the binding posts 66, 67. It will also a be apparent, in this connection, that the bellows type pressure-sensitive element 34 is responsive to variations in the oil pressure within the shell 56 since the variations in oil pressure are relatively large as compared with atmospheric pressure. The functioning of the bellows type pressuresensitive element will, of course, involve a certain amount of compression of the air encapsuled therein, but this will introduce no significant errors in operation.

The switch 31 is normally closed as its pressure sensitive element 33 is exposed to the interior of the pressure-tank 1 so that when the air therein reaches a predetermined pressure the switch 31 will open and interrupt the circuit. The switch 32 is normally open and the pressure-sensitive element 34 thereof is connected through the nipple 36 to the oil line L so as to be responsive to the oil pressure in the oil line L; Thus, when the oil in the line L reaches a predetermined pressure the switch 32 will close.

The above described mechanical and electrical components are connected,.as shown schematically in Figure 6, wherein the electrical connections are shown in single lines and the pneumatic or hydraulic connections are shown in double lines.

For use, the safety control device A can be set up adjacent to the diesel engine E or similar prime mover located, for example, on an oil barge B, as shown diagrammatically in Figure l.

The diesel engine E conventionally includes an air-intake line 76 having a butterfly valve 77 which is operatively mounted upon a rotating spindle 78, the lower end of which projects etxernally from the air intake line 76 and is'rigidly attached to a rocking actuator arm 79 having an enlarged end portion 80 provided with an elongated slot 81. Operatively mounted within the slot 81 is a pushpin 32 which isrigidly seated in the external end of a solenoid rod 83, the latter being operatively mounted in solenoid 34. When the solenoid 84 is suitably energized it will swing the butterfly valve open and allow air to flow into the air manifold of the diesel engine E. Whenever the circuit is interrupted the solenoid will shift in the opposite direction and shut off the air supply to the diesel engine E.

Usually, when a delivery of oil is being pumped from an oil barge, an intermediate or so-called dock barge D is employed, the latter being part of the permanent shore-side installations. Running from the dock barge D to the shore tanks (not shown) are permanent conduits or pipes P. Thus, in unloading the oil barge B, a flexible pump line or conduit C is connected from the barge pump M to one of the oil pipes P in the usual manner. Thereupon, the frangible hose H is strung adjacent to or along the conduit C and preferably attached at its remote end to the oil pipe P or some other stationary shore-mounted element adjacent thereunto. If desired, conventional hand operated closure valves V V can be interposed at convenient locations along the length of the hose H. Similarly, a conventional pipe-T 43 can be inserted at a suitable location along the hose Hv and a branch hose H connected thereto. This latter hose H may, if desired, be strung out along the deck of the barge B and provided at its remote end with a conventional hand operated valve V Thereupon, air under pressure is pumped into the pressure tank 1 by means of the hand pump 4 and, of course, the hose lines H, H will also be filled with air seems under pressure since they are connected directly to the pressure tank 1 through the nipple 29. As soon as the pressure within the pressure tank 1 has reached the desired level, as indicated on the gauge 30, the stop valve 17 is shut oif so that the air pressure will not leak through the check valve system 13. Thus, the entire system, including the pressure tank 1 and the hose lines H, H are charged with air pressure to the desired limit, such as, for example, 20 p.s.i., assuming that the pressure switch 31 is designed to shift into open circuit position at this pressure and will remain open as long as air pressure is maintained in the system.

The oil line L is connected by any suitable or conventional fitting into an oil pressure line forming part of the internal lubrication system of the diesel engine E. Similarly, the binding posts 35, 38 are connected in series with the solenoid circuit of the diesel engine E. The binding post 39 is conventionally connected to a suitable ground for the usual safety reasons, inasmuch as safety regulations on oil barges and other equipment carrying combustible and inflammable material require that all electrical equipment be grounded. In this connection, it should be noted that diesel engines conventionally have a solenoid control which is a part of the air-intake system and when the circuit through this solenoid control is closed, the air to engine E will be cut off with the result that the engine B will be shut down. Since the solenoid control of the diesel engine, in and of itself, is conventional, and is not a part of the present invention, it is not illustrated or described herein. Once the oil line L and the electrical connections from the binding posts 35, 38 are connected to the engine B, it is not necessary to disconnect or reconnect them as long as the safety control device A is used with the engine E. Such would be the case if the bargeB is to be permanently equipped with the safety control device A. It will, of course, be understood that the operators of the shore-installation may maintain a safety control device A which can be hooked up to each barge as it comes in to make delivery, and in such case all of the connections above described would have to be made each time.

Once the various connections have been made, the hoses or air-lines" H, H are strung out in suitable directions as shown in Figure l and the system charged with air pressure, the switch 31 will open as above described and the engine E can be started in the conventional manner. Of course, when the engine E is shut down there is no oil pressure in the line L but this makes no difference inasmuch as the switch 32 is normally open. Since the switches 31, 32 are both open, the engine shut-down solenoid circuit is inoperative. As soon as the engine E is started, oil pressure builds up in the oil line L, closing the switch 32. Thereafter, if the air-lines or hoses H, or

H are burned, ruptured, or the valves V V V are manually open, the air pressure in the pressure-tank 1 will immediately drop, causing the switch 31 to close, thereby completing a circuit to the shut-down solenoid. As soon as the shut-down solenoid is energized it will function in the conventional manner to shut down the engine E.

If the engine E is started before air pressure is built up in the pressure tank 1, the switch 32 will be closed as soon as oil pressure is built up in the oil line L and the switch 31 will also be closed due to the low pressure condition in the pressure-tank 1. Consequently the solenoid shut-down circuit will operate to shut down the engine E at once. Hence, it is impossible to operate the engine E if there is no air pressure in the pressure-tank 1 or if the air pressure in the pressure tank 1 is too low. The switch 41 is merely a test switch for the purpose of momentarily bypassing the switch 32 whenever the engine E is not running. In other words, when the system is being started up and the engine E is still inoperative there will, of course, be no oil pressure in the oil line L. Consequently, the switch 32 will be in open position. However, when air pressure has been built up in the tank 1 and in the air-lines H, Hktheswitch 31 will be shifted into open position and it is desirable to have some means of testing the system to be certain that there are no leaks or faulty connections in the air pressure system before starting up the engine E. This can be accomplished very simply by momentarily closing the switch 41. If the pilotlight 40 lights up it becomes immediately apparent that the switch 31 for some reason did not shift over to open position. The operator can then look at the pressure gauge 30 and otherwise inspect the system wherever necessary to locate the trouble.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the safety system for fluid pumping engines may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A safety control device for use with an engine, said device comprising a reservoir, frangible tube means connected at one end to the reservoir and extending outwardly therefrom for a substantial distance, said tube means being closed at a point remote from the engine so that the frangible tube means and reservoir together will constitute a closed system as long as conditions external to the engine remain in a predetermined normal status, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said closed system, first switch means operatively associated with the reservoir and being mechanically responsive to a change in the pressure in the closed system, and second switch means associated with the reservoir and being mechanically responsive to the lubricant pressure in the engine, said first and second switch means being connected in series with each other and with electrical means on the engine the actuation of'which will shut down the engine.

2. A safety control device for use with an engine, said device comprising a reservoir, frangible tube means connected at one end to the reservoir and extending outwardly therefrom for a substantial distance, said tube means being closed at a point remote from the engine so that the frangible tube means and reservoir together will constitute a closed system as long as conditions external to the engine remain in a predetermined normal status, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said closed system, first switch means operatively associated with the reservoir and being mechanically responsive to a change in the pressure in the closed system, and second switch means associated with the reservoir and being mechanically responsive to the speed of the engine, said first and second switch means being connected in series with each other and with electrical means on the engine the actuation of which will shut down the engine.

3. A safety control device for use with an engine, said device comprising a reservoir, frangible tube means connected at one end to the reservoir and extending outwardly therefrom for a substantial distance, said tube means being closed at a point remote from the engine so that the frangible tube means and reservoir together will constitute a closed system as long as conditions external to the engine remain in a predetermined normal status means for introducing fluid under pressure to said closed system, first nomally closed pressure-operated. switch means operatively associated with the reservoir and being mechanically held in circuit-open position by the pressure in said closed system, and second normally open pressure switch means mechanically shifted to closed position, responsive to the speed of the engine, said first and second switch means being connected in series with each other and with electrical means on the engine the actuation of which will shut down the engine.

4. A safety control device for use with an engine, said device comprising a reservoir, frangible tube means connected at one end to the reservoir and extending outward- 1y therefrom for a substantial distanee, said tube means being closed at a point remote from the engine so that the frangible tube means and reservoir together will constitute a closed system as long as conditions external to the engine remain in, a predetermined normal status, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said closed system, first valve-operated switch means operatively associated with the reservoir and being mechanically held in open position and responsive to the pressure in said reservoir, and second normally open switch means in said reservoir and adapted to be mechanically held in circuitclosed position while the engine is in operation, said first and second switch means being connected in series with each other and with electrical means on the engine the actuation of which will shut down the engine.

5 A safety control device for use with engines having a sh t-d wn s l i p rati lyassoc ated e i said device comprising a tank, frangible tube means connected at one end to the tank and extending outwardly therefrom for a substantial distance, said frangible tube means being closed at a point remote from the engines so that the frangible tube means and tank together will constitute a closed system as long as conditions external to the engines remain in a predetermined normal status, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said systern, first normally closed pressure-responsive switch means operatively responsive to pressure in the system and being in electrical circuit-forming relationship with the shut down solenoid of the engine, said first normally closed pressure-responsive switch means being mechanically held in circuit-open position where there is pressure in the system, said first switch means being adapted to complete an electrical circuit to said solenoid and shut off said engine when the tank pressure drops below a predetermined value, and second normally open switch means adapted to be shifted mechanically into circuitclosed position responsive to the lubricant pressure in the engine when the engine is running, said second switch means being in series with the first switch means in said electrical circuit forming relationship with the shut-down solenoid whereby to form a safety interlock and cause the engine to shut down if it is started up without first pressurizing the system. 7 Y

6. A safety control device for use with engines having a shut-down solenoid operatively associated therewith, said device comprising a tank, frangible tube means connected at one end to the tank and extending outwardly therefrom for a substantial distance, said frangible tube means being closed at a point remote from the engines so that the frangible tube means and tank together will constitute a closed system as long as conditions external to the engines remain in a predetermined normal status, means for introducing fluid under pressure to said system, first normally closed pressure-responsive switch means operatively responsive to pressure in the system and being mechanically into circuit-closed position responsive to the,

lubricant in the engine'when the engine is'running, said second switch means being adapted to open the engine solenoid circuit closed by the first switch means in said electrical circuit forming relationship with the shut-down solenoid whereby to form a safety interlock and cause the engine to shut down if it is started up without first pressurizing the system. i

7. A safety control device for use with engines having a shut-down solenoid operatively associated therewith,

said device comprising a tank, frangible tube means co nnected at one end tothe tank and extending outwardly therefrom for a substantial distance, said frangible tube means being closed at a point remote from the engines so that the frangible tube means and tank together will constitute a closed system as long as conditions external to the engines remain in a predetermined normal status, for introducing air under pressure to said system, first normally open pressure-responsive switch means adapted to be held in open position responsive to pressure in the system and being in electrical circuit-forming relationship with the shut down solenoid of the engine, said first switch means-being'mechanically held in circuit-open position when there is pressure in the system, said first switch means being adapted to complete an electrical circuit to shut off said engine when the. tank pressure drops below a predetermined value, and second normally open switch means adapted to be shifted mechanically into circuit-closed position responsive, to the lubricant pressure in the engine when the engine is running, said second switch means being connected in series with said first switch means in said electrical circuit forming relationship with the shutdown solenoid whereby to form a safety interlock and cause the engine to shut down if it is started up without first pressurizing the system.

Rachuig Aug. 2, 

